Using a Training Package to Increase Compassionate Care Skills: A Preliminary Analysis of Two Case Studies

Abstract

Engaging in compassionate communication with caregivers is necessary for behavior-analytic practitioners. There are only a few studies focused on training graduate students to perform behavior-analytic activities with compassion. We present two case studies in which we evaluated the effectiveness of a training package on two participants’ level of compassionate care and interpersonal skills when conducting three behavior-analytic tasks: intake interviews, functional analysis interviews, and progress updates. Participants experienced various caregiver behavioral profiles ranging from cooperative, neutral, and uncooperative. Following the training package, participants scored higher on a compassionate care checklist and interpersonal skills data collection system when conducting intake interviews. Implications of the effectiveness of these training procedures and future research directions are discussed.